The present invention relates to a cassette tape player which is capable of playing, fast-forwarding and rewinding of the tape of a cassette tape in both the forward and reverse directions.
Conventionally known cassette tape players include those of the auto reverse type adapted to run, fast-forward and fast-rewind the tape of a cassette tape in both the forward and reverse directions. An example of cassette tape players of this type is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 1994-176458.
A cassette tape player of the auto-reverse type mentioned above includes a pair of capstans which respectively serve for forward rotation and reverse rotation, a pair of pinch rollers for pushing a tape against the capstans, and a pair of reel blocks to rotate the pair of reels of a cassette tape in the direction in which the tape is to be taken up, said reel blocks respectively associated with forward rotation and reverse rotation. With the components as above, when the device is in either the forward mode or the reverse mode, the capstan and the pinch roller corresponding to the direction of the current mode run the tape at a constant speed, while the reel corresponding to the direction of the current mode is rotated at a low speed to take up the tape. When the device is in either the fast-forward mode or the rewinding mode, the tape is fast-forwarded or fast-rewound by rotating the reel corresponding to the direction of the current mode at a high speed.
The forward capstan and the reverse capstan are designed to be rotated at a constant speed in the directions respectively corresponding thereto by fly wheels fastened to the capstans, and the rotation of the fly wheels is transmitted to the forward reel block and the reverse reel block through transmission mechanisms which are respectively and individually installed on the forward-rotation side and the reverse-rotation side so that the reel blocks are rotated at a low speed or a high speed.
Each transmission mechanism on the forward-rotation side and the reverse-rotation side includes a low-speed gear having a small diameter and a high-speed gear having a large diameter, both of which are attached to the corresponding fly wheel; a reel gear associated with the reel block; a low-speed intermediate gear for transmitting the driving force from the low-speed gear to the reel block associated therewith; a high-speed intermediate gear for transmitting the driving force from the high-speed gear to the reel block; a mechanism for engaging or removing the low-speed intermediate gear with or from the reel gear; and a mechanism for engaging or removing the high-speed intermediate gear with or from the reel gear.